Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Personally, I think this list is crap. Some of the cities listed are in no way shape or form a grid, and they left off a couple cities that 1) have a neat/iconic grid and 2) they have more than one grid which makes them unusual and interesting. Plus, New Orleans wasn't included and they have a neat looking and unique layout. They baited me in and now I want to discuss it more in length with the fine folks on CD.
I was wondering why some cities have two different grids, like Seattle and Denver for example. Different sources tell different stories about how they came to have these grids, both were interesting regardless of their historical accuracies.
I guess the point of this thread is to discuss street grids, their history and which ones you consider to be the most pleasing when looking at a map and how easy or difficult they are to navigate in reality, the most extensive, or cities that actually have no grid at all (Boston) but still have unique or interesting layouts.
I guess I'll start because I just thought of one that I used to analyze often... Detroit, it has a pretty neat looking layout with Woodward going straight through the city at whatever angle it is always piqued my interest. I used to have my face buried in maps as a kid and I'd love it when they had the little side maps of the larger cities. Detroit is one of several that I enjoyed looking at.
Not sure how places like Phoenix and Portland are listed over New Orleans, which has a more recognizable/iconic street grid that follows the curvature of the Mississippi River.
Plus all the cities that lack actual street grids.
Last edited by JMT; 03-01-2017 at 04:46 AM..
Reason: North American areas only
Wow @ Barcelona. I really need to go there someday
Also I never really was a fan of the grid/number system in Midtown and Uptown Manhattan. I knew it was gonna be #1 though. I guess it's "easy" and "iconic" and smart city planning, but I think it's kind of boring which is another reason why I love Lower Manhattan so much. I think the unique street names and different styles/patterns gives the streets and neighborhoods more character.
Personally, I think this list is crap. Some of the cities listed are in no way shape or form a grid, and they left off a couple cities that 1) have a neat/iconic grid and 2) they have more than one grid which makes them unusual and interesting. Plus, New Orleans wasn't included and they have a neat looking and unique layout. They baited me in and now I want to discuss it more in length with the fine folks on CD.
I was wondering why some cities have two different grids, like Seattle and Denver for example. Different sources tell different stories about how they came to have these grids, both were interesting regardless of their historical accuracies.
I guess the point of this thread is to discuss street grids, their history and which ones you consider to be the most pleasing when looking at a map and how easy or difficult they are to navigate in reality, the most extensive, or cities that actually have no grid at all (Boston) but still have unique or interesting layouts.
I think that Seattle has multiple street grids is because they are following the shoreline, but there is a wiki article about it.
"These three grid patterns (due north, 32 degrees west of north, and 49 degrees west of north) are the result of a disagreement between David Swinson "Doc" Maynard, whose land claim lay south of Yesler Way, and Arthur A. Denny and Carson D. Boren, whose land claims lay to the north (with Henry Yesler and his mill soon brought in between Denny and the others):[2] Denny and Boren preferred that their streets follow the Elliott Bay shoreline, while Maynard favored a grid based on the cardinal directions for his (mostly flat, mostly wet) claim. All three were competing to have the downtown built on their land. Denny prevailed in what would become the central business district, but it was Maynard's grid that ended up being extended throughout the city[2][3] and into all of King County (60 miles east to west). Several cities in King County, such as Renton, Kirkland, and North Bend, have their own naming system and grid in the center of town, but Maynard's Pioneer Square based grid officially covers the entire county.[1]"
At the time that it was built in the early 1900s, it was the largest city privately designed and funded. The city was designed by George Kessler and funded by Robert Long
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
